Apparatus for invalids



Oct. 24, 1944. E. A. HORNE APPARATUS FOR INVALIDS 2 Sheets-Sheetl Filed June .4, 1942 Oct. 24, 1944. E. A. HORNE APPARATUS FOR INVALIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jim 4, 1942 Hdon' A. Home 23.

Patented Oct. 24, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR INVALIDS Eldon Horne, Muskegon Heights, Mich. Application June 4; 1942, Serial No. 45,717

' 11 Claims. (01. -61) This invention relates to an invalid turningapparatus. It is particularly intended to be used with invalids whose bodies are made rigid or semirigid by being encased in a plaster cast and par;-

ticularly such cases where thelower portion of the body is so encased.- I

Other means of attachment may be utilized if The device consists essentially of a suspending apparatus which is so connected to the invalids body that it is supported for rotationon an axis longitudinally with the central portion of the body and means for hoisting the body so that it is clear of the bed on which it rests and may thus 1 be rotated to the desired position. If the invalid is in condition so that he may use the upper portion of his body including his arms he may hoist and manipulate himself by means of this apparatus but if he is wholly incapacitated the appae ratus may be used byan attendant for handling the body with ease and facility.

The device embodies various new and usefufeatures of construction and arrangement hereafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had t the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 illustrates a body supported in an apparatus embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 shows the same with a slightly modified form of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the clevis which connects the supporting structure to the hoisting device. a

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the rotatable supporting means for the upper portion of the body.

Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section and with parts broken away, of the rotatable bracket for connecting and supporting the legs of the body-.1 Fig. 6 is an end view of one of the leg attaching clips.

Fig. "I is a transverse section on the line 'I--'I of Fig. 2, Showing the modified rotatable supporting means for the upper portion of the body.

I Fig. 8 is a plan view of the supporting means of Fig. '7, and

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the same with the lower part of the supporting belt broken away.

Like numbers refer to like parts in all of the figures.

The supporting structure comprises a frame made of an upper straight tubular member I into one end of which is telescoped a downwardly curved frame member 2 having its lower end extending in line with the axis upon which the body is to be rotatably supported. The length of the supporting frame may be adjusted to accom-' modate different size bodies and conditions by telescoping the member 2 into the member l more or less and they are fixed in their adjusted positions by suitable means such as a pin 3 inserted through holes in the tube l and through one of a series of holes 4 in the frame member 2.

desired.

A clevis 5 is pivotally connected to a sleeve 6 which is rotatably mounted upon the tubular frame I and may be fixed to'the desired position by a set screw 1 and this sleeve may be adjusted along the frame l to attain the desired center of gravity. A hoisting device such as an'electrically operated chain hoist 8 is connected to the supporting structure by means of a hook 9 at the end of its hoisting chain It which hook is connected to the clevis 5. The hoist 8 is supported above the bed of the invalid byany suitable supporting means which may be a portable frame work such as is common in hospitals for supporting various surgical a paratus." It will be understood that any hoisting device may be substituted for the electric hoist shown but this type has been found most convenient and when used it is supplied, with electric current by conventional conductorsand is preferably provided with a control switch I I connected by a flexible conductor I2 so that it may be extended to a position where it may be; operated by the invalid or to any other convenient location. The hoist also is preferably provided with automatic limit stop switches which prevent the invalid from being hoisted too far by'inadvertence. The specific hoist forms no part of the present invention and is of a type well known and easily obtainable. I

The bracket for connecting and supporting the legs of the patient comprise two clips l5 arcuate in shape'and preferably provided with fabric or leather linings 16 which have holes I1 to receive laces-I8 by which they may be attached to the lower parts of the cast surrounding'the legs of the invalid or in some cases they may be attached directly to the legs or ankles of the invalid. The clips I5 are pivotally connected to sockets, l9; which are threaded to receivethe threaded posts 20 which project oppositely from a collar 2| r0- tatably mounted upon a sleeve 22. The sleeve 22 is longitudinally adjustable upon the frame memher 2 and is held in its adjusted position by a suitable means such as a set screw 23 and may be adjusted and fixed in a position suitable for the size of the invalid and other conditions.

In cases where the body of the invalid is largely encased in the cast and where the cast extends considerably above the hips its upper portion is supported in the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 which consists of a sleeve 25 mounted at the end of the frame member I and held in place by a pin 26 or other suitable. means. The block 21 of a pulley 25 is pivotally supported at 29 on the sleeve 25 and may have a removable cover plate 30 if desired. An endless belt 3| passes over the pulley 28 and surrounds and supports the upper part of the cast of the invalid and its length is such that when the body is so supported its central portion is substantially in alinement with the lower end of the frame member 2 and the axis around which the leg supporting bracket rotates.

In caseswhere the cast onthe body of the invalid does-not extend sufficiently high to be supported by the belt 31' the modified structure of Figs. 2, 7, 8 and 9 is utilized which comprises:

a bracket 35 fixed to the end of the frame member l and provided with two spaced apart elon-' i gated rollers 36 over which a wide belt. 31 passes. ,3

This belt surrounds the body of the patient and preferably has its ends laced together at 38 or 5. The elements in combination defined in claim linwhich one of said body supporting elements comprises a belt passing under the torso of thebody and over and supported by a rotatable pulleymounted on one of said frame memprovided with other detachable connectingmeans to enable it to be applied to and removed from the-body with ease without disturbing the patient. When so supported the belt has 'a sufficientlywide bearing area so that it is not uncomfortable to the patient and the rollers 36 are spaced apart approximately the width of the patients body to avoid squeezingor compress1on.-

In use the body is connected as described with its legs mounted on the rotatable bracket and its upper portion supported in the belt 3| or the belt 31; Then by means of the hoist 8 it is elevated until its weight is clear of the bed Whereupon it may be easily rotated to the desired position and then lowered. In this rotating movement the collar 2l of the leg supporting bracket rotates on the sleeve 22 and theibody rolls in the belt 3| or belt 37 while the belt runs over its supporting pulley 28 or rollers 36. The equilibrium of the body is governed by adjusting the sleeve 6 on the frame Ito place the center of gravity where the body will hang substantially horizontal or in the desired position.- If the patient is able he maymanipulate himself with this device by controlling the hoist 8 by the switch II which is brought within his convenient reach. If the patient is wholly incapacitated a single attendant may hoist and manipulate the heaviest body by means of this apparatus and with very' little physical exertion.

The equilibrium of the patient may be so adjusted that when hoisted his body will hang with the head and shoulders lowered and in this position he may be elevated just sufficiently to support his legs and cast portions while his head and shoulders may rest comfortably upon the bed; This will allow him to rest and sleep upon his side.

- The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

' I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a frame having two members adjustable relative to each other, means for fastening said members in desired adjusted position, means for rotatably supporting the body of a person on said frame comprising a rotatable supporting element attached to each of said adjustable frame members, and means for supporting and hoisting said frame;

2. The elements in combination defined claim 1 in which said supporting and hoisting means is pivotally connected to said frame whereby the axis of rotation of said body may be: 70

tilted.

3. The elements in combination defined in claim 1 in which said supporting and hoisting means is pivotallyconnected to said frame where- 6;..The elements in combination defined in claim 1 in which one of said body supporting elements comprises a belt passing under the torso of the body and over and supported by a pair of horizontally spaced rotatable pulleys mounted on one of said frame members.

' '7. A device of 'the class described comprising, a tubular upper frame member having a straight portion, a second frame member telescopically engaging said first frame member and extending downwardlyand having an inwardly turned lower end, abracket rotatably mounted on said in-' wardly turned lower 'end of the frame, diametrically spaced attaching clips on said bracket, a pulley mounted on said first frame member and an endless belt hung on said pulley and adapted to surround and rotatably support a portion of a body on'an axis substantially coincident with" the axis of rotation of said bracket and'means for hoisting'said frame members.

8. A device of the class described comprising, a tubular upper frame member having a straight portion, a'second frame member telescopically engaging said first frame member and extending downwardly and having an inwardly turned lower end, a bracket rotatably mounted on said inwardly turned lower end of the frame, diametrically spaced attaching clips on said bracket, a pair of horizontally spaced pulleys mounted on said first frame member and an endless belt hung on said pulleys and adapted to surround and rotatably support a portion of a body on an axis substantially coincident with the axis of rotation of said bracket and means for hoisting said frame members.

9. The elements in combination defined in claim 7' in which said means for hoisting said frame is pivotally connected thereto.

- 10. A device of the class described comprising a frame, means to suspend and to hoist said frame and means for securing the body of a person on said frame for complete rotation on a substantially horizontal axis comprising a bracket rotatably mounted on said frame, means for clamping the legs of said body to said bracket,

a pulley rotatably supported upon said frame and a belt passing over said pulley and adapted to be passed under the torso of a body.

11. A device of the class described comprising a frame, means to suspend and to hoist said frame and means for securing the body of a person on said frame for complete rotation on a substantially horizontal axis comprising a bracket rotatably mounted on said frame, means for clamp ing the legs of said body to saidbracket, two horizontally spaced pulleys supported upon said frame and a belt passing over said pulleys and adapted to be passed under the torso of a body.

ELDON A. HORNE. 

